


Scales and Showers

by an_aphorism



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Disaster Gays, Getting Together, Kissing, M/M, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Theme Park AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:48:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23594089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/an_aphorism/pseuds/an_aphorism
Summary: After The Incident, Keith knew they had gotten someone different for the raptor suit. The new raptor was much taller with a more pronounced gait which Keith clocked immediately. He only hoped whoever the park hired had slightly more common sense than the last guy.
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 54
Kudos: 414





	Scales and Showers

**Author's Note:**

> Fic requested by @yawarakaiarts on twitter!

After _The Incident_ , Keith knew they had gotten someone different for the raptor suit. The new raptor was much taller with a more pronounced gait which Keith clocked immediately. He only hoped whoever the park hired had slightly more common sense than the last guy.

Because who thinks that just because they’re dressed as a prehistoric raptor that Keith’s gators _won’t_ view them as a threat?! While it’s true that they’re fairly well behaved at Keith’s behest, there’s still only so much a gator is willing to take. It’s still a wild animal, and animals don’t like to be messed with. They especially don’t like to be pet with large fake raptor claws.

Since _The Incident_ , Keith’s educational shows have been significantly less popular. It weighs heavily on Keith’s heart. All he ever wanted to do at this job was educate people on the less beloved or ‘scary’ animals, and maybe inspire a little more love instead of fear for the reptiles of the world. Having everyone see Big Jo nearly take off that fool Lance’s hand had inspired the exact opposite. Lance had ended up _totally_ _unscathed_ in the end, but it had left an impression on the park guests.

So when Keith sees the new raptor stomping by as he finishes the midday gator show, Keith is not inclined to give it the time of day. The raptor costume already gives some kids a fright, and he doesn’t need the man scaring even more kids out of Keith’s show.

The raptor stays across the sidewalk though, and only bows its head ever so slightly in his direction as if saying, _good day._

Keith huffs and looks away.

It goes on like that. Keith has three shows a day with the gators, and once in a while when the shows are just about over the raptor actor comes through. Each time he gives a little nod or wave, as much as he can in the costume. At first Keith ignores him, but then the kids start getting roped in.

It’s nearly impossible to act in that stiff raptor costume, but this guy manages it. He has some way of making himself seem approachable despite the raptor teeth and claws. Three weeks into the job and when he comes by the kids start to point and look and giggle and eventually… go over.

It’s the strangest thing, a friendly raptor.

The first time the raptor comes through right after Keith’s flourishing finish where Snaps has gotten his bit of meat off Keith’s stick, the kids jump in fright but then start clapping, as though it’s part of the show. Then the raptor actor sort of lowers his head in a way that invites the kids in. If Keith catches himself smiling at the way the kids are chattering at the raptor, pointing out his scales and claws and how similar they are to Keith’s gators, well he’s sure no one saw it.

But the next time the raptor shows up with that little clawed wave, Keith waves back.

It takes a long time for Keith to run into the actual actor behind the scenes. Lance always hung around trying to chat with some of the princesses, so when Keith got off a shift he was always there. With the new guy, his and Keith’s break times don’t match up.

At least not until an unexpected rain shower forces all the outdoor employees to call it for the day. Keith gets back to the locker room to change out of his drenched trainer costume just in time to see an enormous man toweling off just down the row from him. Keith doesn’t even see the discarded raptor undersuit at first, he’s so stuck on thoughts like, _big, muscles, hot, wow._

The man turns and catches sight of Keith, “Oh! Hey!”

Then, stupidly, he makes that small curled wave that is exactly like the raptor always does. Keith feels it like a swoop in his chest.

“Oh, it’s you.”

He’s shirtless, but he slings the towel over one shoulder and walks over to offer a hand. “Hey I’m Shiro.”

“Keith,” Keith manages, dedicatedly keeping his eyes on the man’s face, his very, very nice face.

"Nice to finally meet you, face to face," Shiro grins. Keith swallows hard.

It gets so much worse after that. When Shiro comes by and the kids start to _flock_ to him, Keith can’t help but feel himself charmed. Not only does Shiro look _like that_ , but he’s also genuinely good at his job. The byproduct is that he’s also slowly but surely bringing the crowds back to Keith’s show. Two months on and no one is talking about _The_ _Incident_ anymore. Instead the gossip is that if you go and see Keith’s show, there’s a cool surprise at the end.

“Hey,” Shiro catches him another time in the backstage area before a shift. There’s no reason for him to be here, and Keith tries not to let his stupid crush leap at that. Still, they get so few opportunities to chat with their scheduling that Keith turns all his attention to the man at once.

“Oh hey!”

“So I’ve been speaking to management,” Shiro says, “and I don’t know if this would be cool with you, but I was thinking of maybe doing more to incorporate into your show? The kids really seem to get excited about a live action ‘reptile’,” he does air quotes. “And I don’t know, it would obviously be whatever you thought was right— uh I know there was an incident before, but I wouldn’t do something like that. I’m not— uh—“ Shiro runs a hand through his hair, “I’m butchering this, I promise I had a whole prepared speech that actually sounded good and interesting.”

He laughs and it strikes Keith with a terrible kind of accuracy.

“Oh,” Keith says, a little turned around by the idea of Shiro thinking about his show and wanting to help, wanting to _work together_. “Oh, that sounds cool. Yeah that kids seem to like you, it’s been a nice change after The Incident.”

Shiro’s shoulders fall in relief. “Yeah, I didn’t want to do anything like that. Just maybe something educational, I uh, really love your show. You have a lot of passion and I just thought, maybe we could come up with something.”

“Yeah,” Keith can’t help his own grin. “That sounds fun.”

“Great! I’ll let the managers know you said yes, see if we can carve out some time on the clock for planning. Uh, would you mind exchanging numbers? That way I could let you know what they say.” Shiro reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone, and—

That’s when Keith sees the ring. Gold band, left hand, fourth finger. Wedding ring.

Keith’s stomach plummets. Of _course_ he’s married, of course. Just look at him.

“Keith?”

Keith’s zoned out, more mad at himself than anything. He must have missed the ring the few other times they chatted, or Shiro might even take it off for work. Fuck.

_Fuck_!

He rattles off his number in a daze and then excuses himself to go change. Shiro calls after him that he’ll text when he has something to report.

In the locker room Keith changes with a brutal efficiency, chiding himself. He should have known it was too good to be true. Shiro’s friendly, nice, probably wants a work friend, and maybe even genuinely wants to help Keith’s show. The friendliness is just that.

Because Shiro’s married.

Keith tries to kill the crush after that, but it’s just so dang hard when Shiro is just so _Shiro_. He comes to as many of Keith’s shows as his scheduling will allow, and eventually they do get the approval to officially make changes to Keith’s show. They spend hours in a private meeting space planning it out, doing test runs, and getting the park approval.

Through this Shiro proves time and time again that he’s kind and silly and secretly a little devious. Despite his ‘nice raptor’ reputation, he confesses to Keith that sometimes he does prowl the Jurassic area and sneak up on teens or adults. Keith witnesses this himself a few times, and his stupid heart gets stuck on just how Shiro always seems to be able to choose guests that want and are delighted by the scaring.

Shiro’s a little bit of a menace, but in the kindest way possible. That’s his whole thing, and it’s ridiculous. He’s six foot plus and built like a brute, but even in the bulky raptor costume Keith sees him avoid trampling bugs and lizards and foliage.

It’s not helping Keith’s crush. If anything it’s definitely gotten bigger, so big that Keith feels like it’s taking up all the space in his chest. When Shiro smiles at him, laughs at some joke Keith made it’s like he can’t even breathe around it.

Keith begins to look forward to work in a way that he never has before. The park promotes the new act, and videos appear on the internet of Shiro waving at him with that ridiculous little raptor claw. Comments on the videos gush about the raptor who’s ‘in love’ with the gator show trainer, and Keith tries not to combust.

Because they’re just friends. Friends.

Shiro’s married.

Keith tries desperately not to read into the days when the ring is missing. He patently avoids asking anything about it.

But then they’re working together daily. To the crowds Keith demonstrates the similar body parts on the raptor costume that gators have today, and Shiro flexes and turns so they can see. Toward the end when Keith is feeding the gators Shiro will stand off to the side and quickstep like a puppy who’s waiting to get fed.

It’s so stupid, so stupid.

Keith _hates_ him. Hates his stupid eyes and stupid hair and stupid biceps and stupid good morning texts.

Then Shiro catches him at the end of one of their shifts, “Hey, want to go get a bite?”

It’s spring break so the week has been more exhausting than usual. More guests mean more ways things can go wrong, especially when a large population is teens and 20somethings who’ve had more than enough to drink. Earlier Keith had called security on a guest that had tried to lean over the gator enclosure despite all posted warnings. It had been a fuss that had ruined his last show, and left him overall weary. He really, really didn’t need another Incident.

Now he looks at Shiro’s hopeful face and… doesn’t have the energy to reject this trap like he should.

“Sure.”

They end up in a small booth of some late night restaurant and bar. It serves pizza that Shiro had raved about, and Keith’s worked up such an appetite he hadn’t cared what they ate so long as they did.

“How often do people try to get into the enclosures?” Shiro asks after they’ve ordered.

Keith groans and thunks his forehead onto the table, “More often than common sense would dictate.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah.”

“Darwinism,” Shiro says.

That gets Keith to pick up his head. “Shiro!” Shiro’s grinning. “You can’t say that!”

Keith tries to reach over and playfully smack his arm, but Shiro catches his hand instead. “Why not?” He twines their fingers together.

Keith’s heart skyrockets. “Uh. Because. We can’t be wishing our guests ill.”

There’s an almost eye roll from Shiro, and then he lets Keith’s hand go. “I would neverrrrr,” he says, “Just, you know, people doing stupid stuff on purpose I don’t always feel _that_ bad for.”

Keith snorts. His whole body feels hot and fluttery, he eyes Shiro’s hand and—

No ring.

Hm.

Doesn’t mean anything, since they just came from work.

They chat a little longer about work, and then the pizza when it arrives. Everything is good, better even for Shiro's company. As they’re wrapping up Shiro gets the bill.

“Shiro.”

Shiro holds a hand up, “Nope, I asked so this was my treat. If uh, you want to do this again—“

And curse Keith for a damned fool, he does. “I do,” Keith says. Even if it’s just friends, he likes Shiro, likes that he’s nice and funny and just a little wicked.

At that Shiro gives him a small smile, one that makes a riot of confetti in Keith’s belly. “Then it’s your turn to do the asking, _then_ you can pay.”

Keith can’t help but grinning back. “It’s like that is it?”

“It is.”

When they’re finished Shiro leads him out of the restaurant with a hand on his lower back, and Keith’s not sure he breathes the entire time. On the drive home he curses himself and reminds himself that Shiro is married, married, married, _MARRIED_.

##

The rainy season hits a week later before Keith can cash in on his turn to do the asking. He’s walking in from the employee parking lot and the sky just opens up. After days of dark skies and no rain Keith has given up toting around an umbrella, so he’s utterly unprepared. He dashes across the pavement, but after a few seconds of that he knows it’s no good, he’s going to be completely drenched. Thunder rumbles in the distance.

“Keith!”

Keith breaks stride and turns toward the familiar voice to see Shiro, also umbrella-less and soaked. “C’mon!” Shiro loops an arm through Keith’s and they take off again, but this time in a different direction from where Keith usually enters.

Shiro takes them to a small enclave that’s hidden behind shrubbery, but covered by an overhang. Its leagues closer than the shelter of the employee entrance, so Keith has exactly no complaints being out of the rain sooner.

“What is this?”

They’re both breathing hard from running, so they lean against the wall side by side.

“Used to be a smoking break area,” Shiro gestures to the pillar on the side that does look like it used to be a cigarette receptacle, “back before they banned it. At least that’s what I heard.”

“Weird,” Keith can see further down the building there’s a door that likely leads into the employee area. He’s a little surprised he’s worked here so long and never seen this. “How’d you find this?”

Shiro’s hair is flattened and dripping, his white shirt nearly transparent with how much water it’s taken on. Keith is suddenly very aware of… all of that. Of how they’re tucked in behind all the plants, surrounded by rain.

“The princesses,” Shiro leans into him and says it in a whisper, “Some of them still come out here to smoke.”

Keith looks at him. “What! No way, you’re lying.”

“Scouts honor!” Shiro makes a cross on his chest. His heaving chest. His chest that—

Keith swallows hard. “It’s banned.”

“I know right? The scandal!” Shiro’s grinning, water still dripping down the gorgeous planes of his face. He looks like a fucking dream.

“Yeah.”

Then Shiro is turning into him, and there’s a hand on the side of his head. “You look like a wet cat.” When Keith immediately scowls Shiro laughs, “It’s cute. A cute cat. Very cute wet cat.”

And then before Keith can even process that, Shiro leans in and kisses him.

What?

WHAT.

Keith’s hands come up immediately and push him away.

“What the fuck!”

Shiro’s face has gone stone seriously. “Shit, was that not…? I thought—!”

He looks… devastated, which is ridiculous. If there’s anyone here who should be mad, it’s Keith.

“You thought what? I would be some side piece?” There’s an awful hurt boiling up inside Keith. The kiss had been everything he’s wanted for months now but…

Keith isn’t going to be a homewrecker, and he’s frankly astonished Shiro had just— just—

“Side piece?”

“I’m not going to be your work boyfriend or whatever. I’m not a homewrecker Shiro!” There may be tears in Keith’s eyes, but he hopes all the rainwater is disguising him. He’s stupid, so, so stupid—

“Homewrecker? What are you talking about?” Shiro looks confused then instead of hurt.

“You’re married!” Keith goes to gesture to the ring, but of course right now is one of the times Shiro’s not wearing it.

Shiro’s eyes go wide. “Married?! No! Why would— fuck!” He digs into his pocket then and produces the gold ring.

It hurts to see.

“No, no. This is costume jewelry,” Shiro reaches for Keith’s hand and then drops the ring in it. It’s… light. Far too light for gold.

“What?”

“It’s fake,” Shiro says, “I’m not married. Or in a relationship. I’m single.”

Keith turns the ring over and sure enough he can see several imperfections. It’s… fake. “You are?”

“Yeah!”

“Then why…?”

At this Shiro looks embarrassed. “Oh uh, well after I started here a lot of the princesses and other character actors would try and flirt with me and stuff. I got tired of fielding the advances, so I thought if I just wore a ring, it would, you know, take care of it.” He looks so earnest and worried that Keith doesn’t doubt his words for a second.

“Oh.”

“Yeah. Guess it worked too well.”

Keith’s face is burning. “Yeah. I uh, thought you were trying to cheat on your partner.”

“Oh god,” Shiro says. “Yeah no wonder you reacted the way you did.”

The way he says it gets a laugh out of Keith. The whole thing is just so _ridiculous_. A fake marriage ring, who does that?!

“Wait, then why did you say yes to the date?” Shiro asks.

“Date?”

Shiro bends and puts his face in his hands. Keith can hear stifled laughter. “Oh, I’ve really messed this up.” He looks up.

“The pizza.”

“The pizza?” Keith says, then laughs. “I thought that was as friends!”

“It was not! I asked you out on a date!”

“No, you asked if I wanted to get pizza, you never said the word date!” Keith says.

Shiro’s face goes still as he thinks back through it. Then, “Oh, I didn’t.”

That makes them both burst into laughter, clinging to one another.

“You are so dumb,” Keith says against Shiro’s throat.

“And so sorry, I thought it was going so well!” Shiro’s arms are around him now, and Keith feels their warmth even as the rest of him is cold from the storm.

So he throws the man a bone, emboldened by Shiro’s own confessions. “It could be going well. Now.”

Shiro pulls back to look at him then. There’s a curl to the edge of his mouth, “Oh yeah?”

“On one condition,” Keith says just to be teasing.

“Anything.”

“No more fake ring,” Keith says.

“Done!” Shiro grins and chucks it behind him, into the rain.

“Hey!” Keith pushes him off, “No littering Shiro! Do you know how many animals would swallow something like that—“ Keith rushes out from under the covering and snags the little bit of fake gold before it can be washed away.

“Sorry! Sorry! You’re right!” When Keith turns back around there is Shiro in the rain with him, grinning. “I just got too eager, you’re— you.”

Keith knows he’s smiling, and probably looking more like a drowned cat than ever. But then he remembers Shiro saying, _a very cute wet cat._ “I’m me,” Keith says.

Shiro’s hand closes around Keith’s with the ring and then he’s helping Keith tuck the ring into his own pocket. “Keep it,” Shiro says, arms sliding back around Keith.

Then he bends, and this time when his mouth meets Keith’s, it’s absolutely welcome.

The rain is a torrent, almost icy, but Shiro’s kiss is soft and warm and absolutely melting him. Keith curls his arms around the man’s neck, tasting rainwater and mint and Shiro.

_Shiro_.

It’s unbelievable. Keith feels like a lighthouse in a storm, so bright that surely everyone must be able to see him. Shiro kisses him slow, with the same kind of cautious care he displays with everything else. To feel it turned all on Keith makes Keith’s heart tremble.

They kiss in the rain until there’s a natural break, and even then it’s just far enough for Shiro to look into his eyes. “I like you,” Shiro says, “a lot, just to be clear.”

Keith can’t get rid of his lovesick grin. “I’m starting to get that.”

“Good,” Shiro says and kisses him again. Then, “but I’m still considering the pizza our first date.”

Keith laughs, and Shiro pulls them back under the covering, never letting Keith go. “So it’s my turn?”

Shiro kisses his wet cheek, “Yup!”

Keith digs a hand down into his own pocket and pulls out the ring. He offers it up to Shiro, “Go on a date with me? Tonight?”

Shiro somehow is exactly on his wavelength, because he takes the ring and tucks it then into his own pocket as an agreement. “You’re never going to let me forget this, are you?”

“It’s just really funny.” Keith says.

Shiro buries his face into Keith’s neck, hugging him tight.

Keith then remembers work, the shift they are both definitely late for. It matters little when the rain is like this but, “Hey have you seen those videos online? The ones of our new show?”

“Some, why?”

“The comments are full of speculation that we were together.” It seems so obvious now, how desperately they’ve been mooning over each other. Keith feels the warmth of that thought fill him.

“Guess they’re right now,” Shiro says, pulling back to look at him. He gently tucks a wet string of hair behind Keith’s ear.

“Guess so,” Keith says, and pulls Shiro back down for another kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> And if you don't think one of them eventually proposes with that fake ring, you're wrong!
> 
> Thanks again to @yawarakaiarts for this wonderful prompt, it was super fun to write outside my normal stuff. 
> 
> I'm @an_aphorism on twitter.


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